HANOVER HOUSE RESIDENTS' WEBLOG

VAUXHALL SAVED - WAITROSE COMETH!

Our Waitrose Vauxhall Alert system went wild this morning with multiple warnings - near miss or an actual real event?!  We kept our hopes down as we checked our facts but it's true: there's a small Waitrose on a collission course with Vauxhall bus station.  It'll be under the new Travelodge.  Completion of the building is due in the year of our Lord (Coe), 2012 - here's hoping sooner rather than later.

You can check the developer's website here... and the planning application is here. I think we can all enjoy a quiet moment of thanks to the John Lewis board for allowing us access to their Essential range.

 

 

THREE PLANNING EXHIBITIONS COMING UP

Thursday 8 September
30-60 South Lambeth Road  - The developer is Downing and the scheme comprises student housing and a leisure centre. There is an exhibition at the Vauxhall Christian Centre (105 Tyers St) on Thurs 8th Sept (4pm to 8pm) and Sat 10th Sept (11am to 4pm ).

14 & 15 September 
American Embassy site – The exhibition of the plans is scheduled to take place on the 14th and 15th September at Unit 1-5 Ponton Road (8am to 8pm). 

15 & 17 September
One Nine Elms (they want to demolish the big brown building and build something new). The developers are Green Property and CIT and the scheme comprises residential, offices, community and public realm provisions. There is an Exhibition at Market Towers on Thurs 15th Sept  (4pm to 7pm) and Sat 17th Sept (10am to 2pm). 

SAVE OUR SOUTH BANK

We all hate cyclists.  I'm a cyclist and I hate them (lets generalise!) but just the rude ones - oddly enough, usually older sucking on lemons men who really shouldn't be wearing lycra.  Anyhoo, we could all get along, punish bad cyclists and make it all more "continental". 

Not ruddy likely and in sign of how much the corporates run the police now, the cycling ban on South Bank turns out to have no legal basis in law.  Transport for London (and the Mayor) have said they won't ban cycling on this historic brown (shared by all) route.  However,  the South Bank retailers (cunningly called South Bank Employers Group) want to turn what is a right-of-way into a Retail Destination - yes, land grab our lovely South Bank and turn it into a money making machine where every square inch will have a Kodak stall, an espresso wagon or Fish and Chips spewing Routemaster.

They claim that because of a few bad cyclists all cycling should be banned.  No, they just want to make money.   The solution is a frigging cycling path - we're talking about a pavement 6-80 metres wide - no excuse, no more lies please. It's out space not a cash cow for the rich luvvies at the Festival Hall or the trashy Japanese owners of County Hall.  Save Our South Bank from the corporates and their minions - aka our local Labour councillors - they're literally taking the pavement away from under us.  Sadly, that pavement is why we moved here.

ACTION: Gavin emailed our local councillors noting that Labour run the council at the moment.  They couldn't give a damn and have done nothing.  Perhaps they're paid for but seems a cycling lane, enforcing existing laws and finding a solution that keeps us all happy isn't in their interests - which seem oddly in line with the folks with the money.

 

ATTENTION CYCLISTS!

Turns out the bike racks outside the Parking Partners office in the basement aren't ours but Phoenix House's - the council planning offices. They're replacing them with a secure cage - there will be no more racks for us and the cage will only be for Lambeth staff.  However, don't forget we have our own cages behind Tesco and upstairs.

To that end you must move your bike into our own cages by FRIDAY 23 JULY.

If you know anybody with a bike please tell them as a matter of urgency.

BRUNSWICK HOUSE UNCOVERED

After an epic campaign of epic proportions Lascco's scaffolding is coming down from around Brunswick House.  When we contacted our local councillor over fears they want to add an extension and got the building's history...  all buried in a PDF planning app, below.

Download 0530wandsworthroad1.docA.pdf

ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

We've established contact with Lambeth regarding the view blocking ads.  Our email to them and their response is below.  In short they can't find any application for the new one on their system.  They're now trying to find who is responsible tho it's pretty obviously LASSCO who are ultimately responsible.  Regarding the original ads, Lambeth are having to service notices on them to get them taking down - their license long expired and they're in no hurry to stop earning cash - pretty unpleasant.  Sadly these things move at a glacial pace but we're working via other avenues now too.

YOU MUST STILL RETURN THE APPLICATION FOR TWO MORE YEARS IF YOU DON'T WANT THEM.

SAY NO TO TWO MORE YEARS

LASSCO are trying to extend their planning permission to cover Brunswick House in ads for two more years.  The current permission ran out months ago so they're trying to get as much cash as possible - you'll recall this was a temporary measure to fund repairs that turned out to be a con.

You should have a letter from Lambeth Council seeking your views.  Many are objecting as it's an eyesore, blocks light etc.  Please help your neighbours who have to look at it to get it down.  If you've binned the letter without responding, please please take time to ring Lambeth to get another or to lodge an objection. 

Lambeth Council
Town Planning Advice
Tel: 020 7926 1180
Fax: 020 7926 2509

LASSCO SCAFFOLDING

Gavin has been in contact with Lambeth as the two year term LASSCO (Brunswick House at back of building) they were allowed to cover the building in ads is nearly over.  Lambeth have reminded LASSCO to take them down by the end of the two years or face legal action.  Now that Lambeth acknowledge we live here, they're unlikely to give permission for such grand light limiting hoardings.

You may recall that they got permission on the basis that they used the hundreds of thousands of pounds in income to restore the building.  This turned out to be a bare faced lie.  I have challenged Lambeth on this matter and given them their own letters claiming the ads would pay for renovations.  They appear to have forgotten and allowed LASSCO to pocket the profit.  I've requested they look into this as it looks rather suspect.

PURE FILTH

I (Gavin) have been liaising with our cool Lib Dem councillor Andrew Sawdon re the state of the tunnels over at the interchange - primarily the litter, dirt and a missing panel - filthy!  Action is coming but you will cry when you realise how hard it's been to sort out - Andrew's response to my enquiry is below...

STREET CLEANING FEEDBACK

Below is an email stream our councillor has forwarded to me.  It deals with current issues they're looking into and he is now chasing them on street cleaning in general.